Trivial Matters
by BuYaoNi
Summary: A woman puts herself at risk, after she stumbles across compromising information.
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: I do not own Batman, only the OC's.

A/N: I had this idea for a while. It's going to be a bit slow.

* * *

Chapter One

"Do not wait for extraordinary circumstances to do good; try to use ordinary situations."

- Jean Paul Richter

* * *

Newspaper clippings and scraps of paper scribbled with formulas laid spread across the table as Rene clicked away on the laptop. She tried to stifle a yawn as she stared at a list of potential job postings, hoping to find any other openings for an engineer position. It has been three months since she and her husband, Daniel, had moved to Gotham City. A cough interrupted her thoughts. Daniel shuffled into the kitchen.

"Maybe I should surprise you with a little chemistry set or a rocket kit," he mumbled as he walked over to the stove to boil some water.

"Maybe I should surprise you with a Suan pan." Rene teased, while keeping her attention to the screen. "I'm just trying to revise my resume better without exaggerating or making up false information."

"You shouldn't stress so much, it's not good for the both of you."

Rene placed her hand on her mid-section and glanced down before placing her attention back to the screen. She was almost five months pregnant.

"Well, I'm planning to apply to Wayne Enterprises and have been sent a 'thank you for applying' letter four times in a row; just add that to the list of things that make me stressed!" She replied.

She took another quick glance at one of the pile of newspapers with headlines describing another crime that had occurred in the city. Remembering about a past incident that had happened to Gotham City before they had arrived, an outbreak, explosion, or some other event had occurred leading the place into hysteria.

Ever since he received a position working at Gotham National Bank, (which both of them did not discover until later, was rumored to be operated by the mob as well as the suspicious increase in the number of banks being robbed), Rene was feeling increasingly more and more worried. She still could not understand why he had accepted. Or why he thought it was a chance to live somewhere different. She did not like the big city nor did she want to move to one. Why couldn't they move to Princeton or Pennington instead? Even though it would be expensive, at least the crime rates are low in those places, there would be better chances of finding decent schools for their child, and it would be safe to walk around at night . She didn't want to leave behind family and friends. The rent and bills took up most of Daniel's paycheck and she thought if she was hired, they both would be able to pool their income, and pay off their loans. They would also be able to pay a down payment towards a house outside the city.

After moving into the apartment in mid-town Gotham, there was still the usual car-jacking or break-in around the area, even though their apartment was devoid of indulgences, decorations, and frills. They did not bring too much with them during the move. The only thing with essence in the apartment from the insistence of both of their families was a small figurine of the Guan Yin set up near the corner on top of a small bookcase.

"Just apply and see what happens. I'm sure Henry and Amber will put in a good word for you."

Both Henry and Amber Zhou worked at Wayne Enterprises. Henry worked in the archives, where he deals with maintaining the integrity of the company and Amber worked in the IT department. The both of them were hired right after graduate school and had worked there for a few years now. Henry said that it was a pretty relaxed environment, while Amber mentioned that only remained true if one can work through the systems crashing every now and again. They both warned Rene to make sure she applied to the correct department, not a secretary job. It had something to do with many female applicants and the fierce competition for the position.

"You should go out more, go to the park, while you still have time on your hands." Daniel suggested.

She gave him a nauseated look. Before she could make a reply, Daniel continued.

"Not everyone you talk to is going to turn out to be a vicious criminal. I don't think you are going to get robbed by a group of elderly ladies. Maybe you'll make some new friends."

"Hmph, so how's work going so far?" she replied, while rolling her eyes, remembering how tense he had seemed after coming home from work. She was interested in knowing the answer, even though he usually just avoided answering that question; only giving vague comments.

Daniel stiffened and paused for a brief second before he responded. That did not escape Rene's attention.

"It's fine and I get along well with my colleagues."

"I see. I'm surprise you are able to get along with that manager, he seems shifty. Are you sure everything is okay?"

"Yeah, everything is fine. No need to go into details about it. Don't be so judgmental." He then crouched down and leaned his head on to her stomach and began to sing quietly.

"...让我慢慢的靠近你  
_Let me slowly move closer to you._  
伸出双手你还有我  
_Extend out your two hands and I will do the same._  
给你我的幻想我的祝福  
_Giving you my daydreams and my blessings_  
生命阳光最温暧  
_The sunlight of life is most warm._  
不要问我太阳有多高  
_Don't ask me how high the sun is._  
我会告诉你我有多真  
_I will tell you how sincere I am._  
不要问我星星有几颗  
_Don't ask me how many stars there are._  
我会告诉你很多 很多  
_I will tell you that there are so many... so many.._."

It was a daily routine that started when Rene informed Daniel that she was pregnant, he would do before leaving for work. After the song was finished he kept his head against her stomach. "Don't cause too much trouble for your mommy" he cooed. He stood up and adjusted his tie. He gathered his bag while Rene went back to finish where she left off. Before he went towards the door, he spoke up.

"While you are out dropping off the resume, let's meet for lunch."

"Sure."

"我愛你." He then gave her a quick peck on the lips.

"我也愛你."

"I'll see you later then."

"Later."

* * *

"_I can do this; I can do this, just drop it off and leave_." Standing in front of the building, Rene could not help but stare in wonder. Taking in a deep breath to calm herself down before walking inside, did not help much, but made her feel more nervous. Pushing pass the glass doors, she looked around, people dressed in business suits walked by with purpose. She felt slightly out of place wearing one of Daniel's button down shirt and his sweater with her khakis, since her blouses no longer fit, she refused to buy maternity clothing which were only a few extra inches of fabric more than regular clothing and at almost double the price. Slowly and hesitantly she walked towards the front desk. The receptionist stared at her with a smug look in her eyes and a sneer on her lips. It was the look of disgust and irritation. _"Just drop off the resume and….run out towards the door."_ She thought to herself.

"May I help you?" asked the receptionist.

"Hello, I'm here to drop off my resume." she stated, while fumbling through her messenger bag and taking out the portfolio and handling it towards the woman.

The receptionist received it in her manicured fingers, and, without another glance, just dropped it on the side of desk.

"You'll receive a call if you are hired, however, I wouldn't get my hopes up." Gesturing towards Rene's shabbily plain state of dress and bringing attention to her pricey suit. "I figure there are other secretaries whose expertise is more extensive than yours."

"_Did…did she just…how rude."_ Biting back her tongue, she was not sure if she should say something back or just leave and cry in frustration. Finally, deciding on the former.

"Well, Miss…" taking a quick peek at her name tag. "Miss Jones, it is true that I am still learning, but I am not entirely lacking in, as you say, expertise. Besides, I don't think my qualifications in engineering would fit with working as a secretary. I have taken the necessary background training for my profession. I don't think secretaries need to understand formulas such as mass Cr x specific heat Cr x ∆T = ∆T (mass water x specific heat water +heat capacity Cal), now do they?"

Before Rene turned to leave she continued.

"Excuse me if I made an impression that I was applying to be some errand boy. I am interested in a position in the applied sciences department. Have a nice day." The receptionist stared with her smirk fading in astonishment at Rene.

After leaving the building, she let out a huge sigh. _"Oh, now I am very sure I will not get the job at all."_ Thinking to herself in defeat as she walked to go meet with Daniel. _"Maybe they'll overlook my pertness and rudeness…or not."_ She gazed at the buildings while she went by, stared at the parked cars in the street and wondered if it was even safe to leave it there. Noticing one of the cars had tinted windows, although the window was lowered slightly enough for a hand with a tattoo that had a symbol or logo that resembled a cat head combined with a lizard and a flame to appear. It did look a bit scribbly. The tattooed person flicked out a cigarette, meaning that there was some live people in the car or at least one. Rene wondered if it would still be called carjacking even if there were someone inside the car. She did manage to catch a short glimpse of the person in the car as she passed; she was curious who would wear such a weird design permanently inked into their skin.

As she kept walking, she saw Daniel on the other side of the street as he turned out from the corner and when he caught her eye they both smiled. She started to walk a little faster as he carefully crossed the street. However, she noticed the same car with the tinted windows speed past her towards Daniel. He did not see the car racing towards him at high speed before it was too late. She thought she heard the impact and afterwards the car drove away quickly. Rene felt her heart drop and started to sprint as quickly as she could in her pregnant state. _"No, no, no! Please, it can't be, it can't be…let it be a trick of the light, a mistake…" "Daniel, Dan, Daniel…" _Tears were starting to form and threatened to stream from her eyes. She forced herself through the gathering crowd, hearing someone shout for an ambulance. She wept in shock as she stared at Daniel lying there. She did not notice people around her shaking her and shouting incomprehensible things, all she remembered hearing was screaming around her. She did not realize that it was hers.

* * *

A/N: If you reached the end of this chapter, thank you for taking the time to read it.

-This is my first time attempting to write a fanfic, so I'll try my best.

-Many thanks to Midnight Whistles for proofreading/editing my story!

-Please rate and review. Thanks.


	2. Chapter Two

A/N: It's going to be a bit slow.

* * *

Chapter Two

"寂寞是听见某个熟悉名字  
Loneliness is hearing a certain familiar name  
不小心想起某些故事  
accidentally remembering certain stories  
仿佛心里有一把钥匙  
like there's a key in their heart  
而回忆它不出声看着你眼角渐渐潮湿  
yet history, it silently watches you, the eyes slowly wet

孤独是路过我身边的影子  
Loneliness is the shadows that pass me  
笑着对我说似曾相识  
that smile to me and tell me that I look familiar  
我住在这个伤感的城市  
I live in this city of sadness  
你的脸慢慢消失我的心守一座空房子  
your face slowly disappears, my heart stands by an empty house

没有你的城市是冰冷的钻石  
a city without you is a freezing diamond  
闪着光切割我所有的心事  
shining with lights, cutting my heart's stories  
我们相爱的手指我们曾经的坚持  
Our loving fingers, our determination once upon a time  
都随着时光流逝变成故事  
all went with the passing of time, and became stories

没有你的城市悲伤的情诗  
a city without you, a poem of sadness  
每一页都写满了你的名字  
every page is filled with your name  
我们拥抱的方式我一个人的坚持  
the way we hug, only I still continue  
你说的要我学着重新开始  
you told me, told me to learn to start over  
你走了要我如何重新开始  
you've left, how can I start over"

Zhang Yuan – City of Sadness

* * *

Walking by the front desk, Henry noticed that the receptionist was, unusually, very focused with some papers; normally she would be preening herself instead. Leaning over the edge, he attempted to take a closer look at what was so interesting.

"Mr. Zhou, do you mind?" she asked and glared with a look of daggers directed at him.

"Hey, Joanna, is that another application? What department or position is it this time?" he asked while completely ignoring the question and continuing to read on.

"Oh some bookish, high-browed individual just handed in her resume for applied sciences," snorted Joanna. "It's beyond me to..." She was cut off as Henry interrupted her "Thanks, bye!" He then set off escaping quickly towards the elevators. Amber was stepping into the elevator with an armful of documents as Henry stumbled in.

"Finally, some good news!" he chirped.

"Should I be worried?" Amber replied noticing the sheen of sweat collecting on his forehead, meaning that he was excited.

"I think you will be pleasantly surprised." Henry chuckled. Amber smiled.

"Okay, hopefully it will be a good surprise," As they approached her floor, she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before stepping out. Henry continued back down towards the basement.

While he stepped out of the elevator, he noticed Mr. Fox was walking towards the next set of doors that lead down to the next lower floor level. Henry wanting to speak to him before he disappeared behind the doors and so sprinted down the corridor after the man.

"Mr. Fox!" wheezed Henry. Slowing down to a jog while sweat began to drip down his face and drench parts of his suit. When he finally caught up, he tried to catch his breath while wiping his face with his sleeve.

"Mr. Zhou, to what do I owe this pleasure?" asked Mr. Fox as he laughed softly.

"I just thought you and Mr. Wayne would like to know ahead of time that you have another application just dropped in today." Henry chuckled.

"Yes, there has been an increase of applicants interested in working as a personal secretary for Mr. Wayne lately."

"Actually, it's to the Applied Sciences division."

* * *

Still feeling overwhelmed by the extent of the devastating injuries to her husband's legs, arms, and face as he was whisked away to the emergency room, Rene collapsed on to the benches nearby next to other people with overpowering perfume or sweat masked with disinfectant floating around. _It's because of this city; we should have never come here…_. She clutched her mid-section and tried to distract herself from the feelings of a gloomy outcome.

During the week, she practically lived in the hospital room. It was a small rectangular room, with a heavy smell of antiseptic in the air, and white walls in need of fresh paint. During the day there were constant sounds of chatter from nurses, doctors or visitors as they pass by the door. She already phoned both of their immediate families and they will arrive within a few hours. She wondered if the police ever found that driver, even though she had provided them with the license plate number. Gritting her teeth, she thought about how they were most likely to write it off as an accident and didn't plan on discussing it any further. While she held onto one of Daniel's bandaged hands, she tried to hum softly to him in the hope that he would wake up and remain conscious for longer this time. _Wake up and say that I'm singing off key as usual. Or say that it would wake up anyone, instead of helping them sleep._

"...月哪個明，風兒哪個靜，  
_The moon is bright, the wind is quiet,_  
搖籃輕拍動，  
_The cradle moving softly,_  
娘的寶寶閉上眼睛，  
_My little one, close your eyes,_  
睡呀睡在那個夢中  
_Sleep, sleep, dreaming sweet dreams..._"

Caressing his hand and feeling more distressed, she abruptly stopped the tune and spoke pitifully. "Daniel, you have to get better. It can't go like this."

His condition continued to wax and wane, though gradually Daniel appeared to improve. But, what bothered her the most, when he was conscious long enough after two days or so from the surgery, was that he kept mumbling something to her. She thought he was just delirious from the surgery or that the anesthesia has not worn off yet.

"…_ne." he groaned. Her ears perked up and she leaned in closer. "Why is he talking about the bookcase at home?" Rene thought to herself. After taking a quick trip back from the apartment, she sat down next to his bed and looked through some of the documents she had found hidden behind the bookcase. "What is all this?" She asked herself. The documents were comprised of random lists of payrolls, assets, names, employees' salaries, and names of clients. The names on the payroll caught her eye even though it seemed to be missing some pages. Another page listed what appeared to be names of companies and trusts. "Are these what they call shell companies?" She tried to make sense of the information and kept thinking about the other ramblings Daniel has mentioned._

A few days later, Rene was rereading the documents and wondered whether there was anything of importance at his office. He had mentioned his office and something about evidence when he was somewhat coherent before falling into unconsciousness again. While she sat, beeps from the medical equipment went off loudly, and she quickly alerted the nurse. Rene was ushered out of the room leaving her to wander around in the hallway and listen to nurses and doctors dash off quickly to save lives. While standing there, two officers appeared, and introduced themselves.

The older of the two wearing thick spectacles and a bushy mustache stepped forward to introduce himself first.

"Mrs. Qiao? I'm Lieutenant Gordon and this is Officer Baker. We're from the Gotham City Police Department. We need to discuss something with you if you don't mind."

Leaning against the wall to relieve the pressure from her feet, Rene just nodded for Lieutenant Gordon to continue. "About your husband…" he began to speak, but was interrupted by Rene as her ears perked up.

"Did you find that driver and his vehicle? Will he be arrested or charged?" she asked quickly. "I want his name, so I can sue him," her voice darkened as she continued to speak.

Placing a hand on his temple, he contemplated a difficult problem; bringing up a suspicion. "No, it's not about that. It's more that we have a reason to consider your husband as a person of interest. You are aware that he worked in a bank run by the mob," he spoke in a hushed voice.

Feeling a lump in her throat, her expression fell into a deep frown. _So those rumors were true_?

"Wait, are you implying that he is somehow involved with the mob!? Lies! We've only been in Gotham for a few months," she spoke, feeling anger slowly rising, as she tried to keep her composure.

"Please, Mrs. Qiao. We need your cooperation. Has he ever said anything to you?"

"No, nothing like that. If that is the basis of the investigation, then I can see why this city is so crime ridden. I'm done spe…"

"Mrs. Qiao!" A nurse ran up to her and started to pull her arm. "Hurry!" As the nurse ushered her back towards the room. "What's going on?" Rene asked feeling a bit of unease at what the news the nurse is going to tell her.

"Your husband…he's taking the turn for the worse." Approaching the room, the doctor was already preparing to announce the time.

They had already made him as tidy as possible; they forced a fake smile on his face, and were writing out the name tags and recording the ring on his finger into the notes. Rene asked to be alone.

Creeping forward towards him, she clutched him, she could not believe it.

"Daniel?" she asked. "Can you hear me, Daniel? Please, we need you," her voice rose into chocked sobs. She started to back out of the room, refusing to believe it. She stepped step out the door, her eyes cast down towards the floor. As she passed by the officers, her eyes noticed Officer Baker's left hand; it had a distinct tattoo, the same one she had seen earlier. Her eyes slowly shifted upwards and stared at his face. She glared at both of the uniformed men fiercely; her brown eyes were seemingly popping out of their orbits. Words began to escape her clenched lips. "How dare you?" She snarled as her voice increasingly rose.

"Mrs. Qiao, please-" Lieutenant Gordon began to speak, but was cut off.

"You're all in this together aren't you?" she spoke quietly. "Get out, get out of my sight!" She then screamed as Henry and Amber appeared from behind.

"Rene, shh, shh, it's going to be alright." Amber tried to speak calmly as she bundled her back into the room. Raising her right hand, Rene accusingly pointed at the uniformed men. "You won't get away with this, you murderers! I'll sue you! Time will tell!"

Henry gave an apologetic look. "Please excuse us officers," as Henry turned towards the room, shutting the door behind him. Running his hands through his hair, Lieutenant Gordon nodded with understanding in his eyes.

* * *

A/N:

-If you reached the end of the second chapter, thank you for taking the time to read it.

-Thank you for the review 'reading fan' and 'Scrapeater'!


	3. Chapter Three

A/N: It's going to be a bit slow.

Chapter Three

* * *

During the next week, arrangements were made, and the funeral was held back at their hometown in Edison. Everyone's back was turned while the casket was lowered into the ground. Rene kneeled on the ground, carefully folding, and placing the joss paper or spirit money which was just made of rice paper into, a container of fire. Burning it was to ensure that the departed have the proper items in the afterlife. Surrounding the air was the heady scent of incense. The rest of the family placed lighted incense sticks around the grave. While everyone started to leave, Rene stayed behind a little longer; as she sat, she continued to burn more joss paper. Lost in thought, she replayed the past weeks of events in her head._ They are not going to do anything about it anymore; they are not even going to look into it anymore._She gritted her teeth at the ridiculous thought of them getting away with it. _I have to do something! I have evidence. I won't know if I don't try._ Attempting to stand up, she struggled a bit. She decided to go back to Gotham, with an excuse of following the belief of the first seven days to greet the departed soul returning home.

Rene stared with swollen eyes and a determined expression on her face. She then spoke to her husband's grave. "I'll come back soon. There is something that needs to be done."

* * *

Arriving at the Gotham National Bank, Rene quickly located Daniel's office, unlocked it, stepped inside and closed the door. The room was small, modest, and square in shape. It was simply furnished with a desk, a few chairs, and one built-in bookcase. The side and front wall, which the desk faced, was mainly translucent glass. The other two sides were bare ivory walls. It contained just enough room to walk in and sit down. There were a few things on the desk: a company computer, a scanner, a lamp, a solar dancing sunflower, Newton's cradle, and some business related folders neatly stacked. Maybe a few pencil and pens also scattered around. Rene also noticed on top of the bookshelf lay a copy of 'The Pocket Idiot's Guide to Being a New Dad'.

The only other decorations were a potted plant in the corner and a simple homemade collage with a few pictures of them, family, and friends. Looking around, she wondered what could be important here. Neatly stacking some of the objects into a box, she wondered if someone had already rummaged through the office. Rene returned to the towards the collage and was just about to take it down, when something caused her to stare closely at the middle picture in the collage. She then examined it and noticed that it was slightly elevated. _Heh, Daniel. You found some canny ways to hide things._ She thought, regarding it with amusement. After taking down the collage, rolling it up, and placing it in the box, she went through the folders from the desk. _It just looks like some pages about verifying receipts and records, and crediting customers' accounts. And this one looks like it is about formulating budgetary and accounting policies. There doesn't seem to be anything suspicious about this. After all it's still here so it can't be too bad._ Closing the folders, she packed it into her bag, deciding to take it along with everything else in the box, and walked out of the office.

Standing outside the bank manager's door, Rene considered whether or not to return Daniel's office key and the folders from the desk. She knocked on the door first before poking her head inside. "Excuse me?"

"Yes?" The man inside the room asked, his head jerking upwards, before he started putting aside the files, and placing them into an open filing cabinet. "You are?"

Rene walked in with mixed emotions. _I wonder what other questionable dealings you have in there._ "My husband Daniel worked at your bank."

"Ah, you must be Mrs. Qiao then," he nodded. "I'm deeply sorry for your loss," he said giving a look of sympathy. "We're sorry to lose him. He was quite the hard worker. When is the funeral?"

She tried to keep her expression neutral, but her eyebrows twitched slightly. "Thank you. It was last week." She answered.

"Is there anything I can do for you?"

"No, I just came to pick up his stuff," she gestured at the box in her hands while she continued speaking. "And to also drop off his office key." Placing the box down on to a chair, Rene then handed over the office key. "Have a good day." Picking up the box, she headed out of the door. As she turned, she collided into someone, causing her to spill the contents of the box onto the floor.

"Sorry, I wasn't looking." She mumbled without looking up.

"Mr. Maroni, I wasn't expecting you today." The bank manager spoke as he appeared at the door, addressing the object of her collision.

_Maroni? _Rene's ears perked up. _That name appeared a few times in some of the documents._She took a quick study of the man in front of her while he adjusted his suit. _He already seems sleazy and crooked._

"Excuse me; I didn't see a little thing like you there, Ms.…?"

"Mrs. Qiao," the bank manager spoke, finishing the sentence. "Her husband just passed away, she was picking up his things, and leaving."

"You have my condolences. Why don't I send a bouquet of white lilies as my sympathy for your loss?" he said in an attempt to appear friendly. Unexpectedly, he crouched down and placed the contents back into the box. "I'm sure the bank is sad to lose an honest, hardworking employee. It's not very often a diligent worker pops up, " he said, though there was a bit of a snooty tone to his dialogue.

_He is an honest, hard worker._ Rene thought defensively, before deciding she had heard enough.

"There is no need for that, but thank you for the condolences and the compliments," she paused for a bit before she continued speaking. "Also thank you for the illuminating lecture on work ethics in addition." As her hands reached towards the box she then winced as Maroni grasped one of her hands into an almost crushing handshake. Rene tried to wrench her hand away, but was unable to, the grip was too strong.

"It was nice meeting you," still holding onto her hand, with a sly smirk on his face, Maroni leaned forward. "A word of advice sweetheart, there's no room for righteousness in this city."

Maroni loosened his grip and Rene pulled back her hand away. She took the box out of his hand and quickly moved towards the exit, she took a quick look over her shoulder as a feeling of dread starting to form inside of her.

* * *

Sitting in the now empty apartment with only a temporary altar containing flowers surrounding a picture of Daniel and a memorial tablet. Outside the apartment, a white cloth was attached, covering the doorway. Rene looked through the flash drive that had been hidden behind the collage along with a few more documents. _It seems to be about some sort of illicit trade and a potential dealings with a big company located in Hong Kong?_ She thought to herself as she scanned and memorized the new information. Setting aside the material, she started flicking through her phone book.

Standing in front of a law firm, Rene hoped that this particular lawyer would have the experience that she so badly needed. That is, if there even was a case, and, if he or she would be willing to take it on. Walking through the corridors, she finally found the office. She was greeted by a bald, spectacled elderly lawyer wearing a dark suit. He seemed to be credible and trustworthy. After the discussion with the lawyer, Rene exited the office, declaring that she needed a little more time to decide whether or not to hire the elderly lawyer. She lightly but firmly refused to allow the lawyer to keep hold of the documents she had. As she walked down the corridors, she forgot that she had another question, and decided to go back. Approaching the door she caught a snippet of a conversation between the lawyer and someone he was speaking to over the phone.

"roni…saw the accident and the one who did it. She has quite a bit of proof, but she refused to hand over any of the information. It shouldn't be too hard to follow her and keep an eye on her." The lawyer guaranteed.

Slowly backing away, Rene's eyes widened at hearing the conversation that had just occurred. She rushed out the building as quickly as she could, back to her apartment. Panicked, she pushed through the door and quickly locked it behind her.

"Is there no one I can trust in this place?" she asked herself. She stood still for a few minutes trying to figure out a solution. Standing in front of the altar, she packed the picture and tablet into her bag. Rene picked up a book bag and went towards the door. Her trembling hand touched the door knob. "I'm so sorry, we won't be able to greet you." She said in a shaky voice. Opening the door Rene took one last look at the apartment before shutting the door.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter Four

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in Batman, only the OC's

* * *

Chapter Four

Backing the car slowly into a parking space, Henry noticed that the car itself ran fairly well, despite its age. Even though the suspension didn't make for the smoothest ride, it was still durable. He was careful not to bump into some of the more lavish and expensive cars that were parked nearby.

"Why can't this be a regular nine to five work day?" Henry yawned while exiting the car. He waited for Amber to gather her things before he locked the doors. They started to walk past other parked cars to exit the parking garage.

"Well, there is a two hour lunch break, so it's almost a nine to five work day." Amber pointed out.

"Seven in the morning is too early to report to work."

"At least you get to relax at your desk and read through some old historical documents."

"That is only true some of the time; the rest of the time I just sit and listen to the part timer who works a couple of days a week with me. She talks all about the latest fashion from glamour or vogue magazines to the latest gossip. I mean, she's a nice kid and all, it's just, I find my brain becomes filled with air each time she speaks.**"** He sighed.

They soon walked in silence and approached the entrance to the workplace. Amber became lost in thought. "Are you worried about Rene?" Henry asked, noticing the long deep furrow on her face, which often appeared when she became worried.

Snapping out of her thoughts, Amber replied. "Of course I am. It's been more than a month now. It's not like her to just disappear and not say anything to anyone. I don't want to start thinking about the worst case scenarios; I mean this is Gotham City after all."

"I'm worried too, but she'll never do anything reckless. At least I hope not." He said, the last part mumbled more to himself than to his companion.

As they both pushed through the glass doors, passing the front desk, Joanna, the receptionist, looked up and called out to the couple. "Mr. and Mrs. Zhou! You have a letter addressed to you." She held the letter between her newly painted and manicured fingers. Amber walked over to collect it from her. "Thank you, Ms. Jones." She smiled politely, before heading towards the elevators.

Once they were stood inside the elevator, the pair both wondered who the letter could possibly be from. It appeared to have no sender name and the address seemed to be from a random business site. Amber began to tear the letter open.

Looking over his wife's shoulder, he could not wait to read what was written. "What does it say?" Henry asked.

"I'm not sure, it's just some numbers." She replied

"Numbers? It's probably just spam." He looked as he scratched his head in confusion.

* [A]-1 = [-〢 〥

〤 -〣]

[42 0

26 32]

-[0 63

10 15]

Amber considered the numbers carefully, thinking that it may be a code of some sort. _It looks like something from math class._ She then handed the letter to Henry. "Well, it looks like something we learned in our college algebra class. Have fun with that!" Amber teased.

"What? But, it's been about six years since the last time I had to do anything with math."

"Well, you better get to reviewing it all then." She replied, giving him a pat on the shoulder before stepping out towards her floor.

* * *

Between the basement doors and the archives, stood Lucius Fox, currently having a discussion with Bruce Wayne. "We could try the mix of Nomex and Kevlar weave again or one with Technora."

"How soon can you work on that?"

"Well, as CEO of Wayne Enterprises, it doesn't leave as much time as one would like, Mr. Wayne." Fox replied.

"Since you are the CEO, you do have some unparalleled freedom in the company. How much more direct force do you think it would be able to withstand?"

"I'll see what I can do with a combination of the other para-aramid synthetic fibers." He paused for a moment and remembered something before continuing. "By the way as CEO, I should mention that Mr. Reese has been asking too many questions lately. It'd probably be easier to have a hired hand as a front to explain that all those supplies of Kevlar are being used to produce bicycle tires or racing sails to help reduce suspicion."

"It shouldn't be too hard to hire one. There's always someone applying for a position." Bruce casually remarked.

"Actually, I remembered there was one applicant… I tried to get in contact, but there was never a reply."

* * *

Walking through the corridors, Henry racked his brain trying to figure out how to solve the math formula. Up ahead he noticed Mr. Fox talking to someone. As he walked closer towards the door to the archives, he noticed that it was the head of Wayne Enterprises himself, Bruce Wayne. He was a bit surprised that he would even be on the lower floors. _Usually no else comes down here, except Mr. Fox_. Though it could be possible he may have been down here more often, since Henry was usually organizing and dusting between the shelves, and, therefore, was rarely around to notice. _Heck, I didn't even realize that he had returned from his …disappearance, and resumed control of his father's company_. _I wouldn't have known until she started talking about the gossip that she'd heard from the other departments_. _I guess it's a good thing she's not here yet. Otherwise she'd be squealing like a fangirl... _Henry laughed at the thought.

"Morning, Mr. Fox, Mr. Wayne. Isn't there a big company meeting today? And would you both like some coffee?"

"Yes there is. We're on our way there. Mr. Wayne was just checking on some of the equipment down in the basements." Fox replied.

The door suddenly opened with a loud hissing sound that cut through the air. "Mr. Zhou!" The girl almost jumped in surprise. "The coffee maker is having problems again." She spoke before noticing Mr. Fox and suddenly blushing when she noticed Bruce Wayne. Adjusting her dress, she attempted to hide her nervousness. "Oh, what are you doing down here? I'm surprised to see you wandering around here, Mr. Wayne. I would offer you coffee, but…what about some cookies?" She continued to jabber in his face.

"Uh, they have a meeting to get to." Henry chimed in, waving to the two men before they turned and walked down the corridors.

Henry turned to go towards his desk, so that he could figure out how to decode the numbers, but first he had to fix the coffee maker, wondering what was wrong with it this time. _I wonder, is it the filter this time, the heating chamber, or the one-way valve could be broken?_ Sighing, he went see what could be done with the continued hissing.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading!

- I'm still working out how to write the canon characters in character.

- I forgot to mention that it's set during the nine or ten months between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight.


	5. Chapter Five

A/N: I posted up chapter five and six.

* * *

Chapter Five

Rene woke up suddenly as she heard a loud hissing that was coming from a small kerosene burner stove sitting in the corner. It was boiling a small pot of rice with pickled vegetables and had overflowed. She realized that she had dozed off as she shuffled towards the kerosene burner to shut it off. Standing in the middle of the room, she continued to brood about the troublesome position she has gotten herself into. _What should I do now? I wonder if Henry and Amber figured it out. It shouldn't be too difficult to figure out. I can't stay holed up in this place. _Her thoughts then moved around to the menacing words. _"A word of advice sweetheart, there's no room for righteousness in this city." _ Those words kept repeating over and over in her head.

The room was dingy and cold, that already contained some furniture that included an old mattress, a desk, and a small hard back chair. In the middle of the room dangled a single, bare electric bulb. Her earthly possessions were kept in two bags and there was a box of Daniel's things from his office. The rent was manageable enough, even though the dwelling was located near the seedy side of town. She tried not to leave the building too often.

There were the daily games of mahjong being played among the tenants and those laying down their bets. Some have their rooms act as little temporary gambling halls. The clicking and shifting sounds of the tiles could be heard through the walls. One game could take hours to finish. She felt herself lucky to have the small room for herself. The most of the other tenants usually shared a room with their families. The whole dwelling housed a couple of other families.

She kept reassuring herself that no matter where in any big city; there is always a Chinatown, even though it is commonly located in downtowns. She could not believe her luck when she managed to slip into Chinatown without too many problems. It was more unnerving that in the middle between midtown and downtown Gotham City, sits the Narrows, an island in the middle of Gotham River. It was nerve wracking taking the monorail that went through the narrows, surprisingly the monorail was repaired and running after some massive damaged done to it months ago. She felt that she would be able to hide in the district. The community was tight nit and weary of outsiders. It reminded Rene of home and what had been instilled into her growing up; to never meddle in anyone's business and to just turn a blind eye. She relied on that generalized statement and it was more or less the same here, no one wants to get involve in anyone's problem be it someone being mugged or beaten on the street.

Since she has been staying in the dwelling for almost more than a month, Rene decided it was time to find another place to stay put for a while, and then she could leave safely. She could wait until she was sure that she was no longer a problem or at least forgotten. Making sure the door locked, she then walked quietly out of the room, passing through the living room area with some of the dwellers lounging around the worn out sofa.

* * *

Walking towards his desk, which was organized and immaculate, Henry sat down after taking a short lunch break to resume figuring out the math problem in the message. "The inverse numbers look like the characters used by vendors at the market place." He mused.

"Mr. Zhou, what are you working on over there?" A voice shouted over from the shelves nearby. The girl walked towards her desk, which was piled with snack wrappers, magazines, and crumbled postage notes. With an armful of documents, she placed them down on to the desk, so that she could convert the text into a digital format. "You know there's such a thing as being too organized." She giggled.

"Just giving my brain a workout, Ms. Mcneal. Anyways, it makes finding things easier and you get your work done a little faster."

"Call me Ali, not Ms. Mcneal, it makes me sound old," she pouted, as she reached out to a cookie bag that was sitting between both desks. She took one cookie, while Henry scarfed down five of them. "And I can't find things too easily if it's too spotless."

"Speaking of workouts, I've read some great workout tips, if you're interested," Ali continued speaking, as she nibbled on a cookie.

"And ruin my efforts to keep this a ten?" He replied, gesturing at his untrimmed and plump shape. "Besides, my wife keeps in check," he muttered the last part to himself.

Ali continued to sort through the pile of folders organizing them by name, before she typed and scanned them. "Oh by the way, Mr. Reese stopped by here when you were out." She suddenly remembered.

"Oh? Did he want a tour of the place?" Henry asked, while keeping his attention at the task in front of him.

"No, he wanted to see some files, but I told him I can't allow him any access, since I don't administer or set guidelines that concern the public access to the materials. I also told him, you are the one who has a little more authority to provide help and reference services." She explained.

"What was he looking for?"

"I'm not entirely sure; I think he wanted to examine some of the financial statements. He said he wanted to be sure that they are accurate and comply with regulations." Ali nodded.

"Well, for that kind of information, I think he would need permission from either Mr. Wayne or Mr. Fox, for me to grant him access to it." Henry explained, as he finally decoded the numbers. He sighed in relief that it did not take too long. _Gosh, I feel as if I'm about to have a brain aneurysm from reading this chicken scratch and all this reviewing._ He silently chuckled to himself but then sat straight up as he understood the message.

[I O

M K]

-[R N

E N]

* * *

When Rene stepped out into the hallway, the stench hit her like a physical blow. The stink was a mixture of rubbish, rotting food, and unlaundered clothes. The hallway walls and floors were coated with grime and dirt. She walked out from the backdoors.

After she scanned the streets to see if it was crowded enough, she set off towards the monorail. _They should both be off of work by now, _Rene told herself. She looked over her back, pulling her coat and bag closer; she continued to walk down the street. As soon as she approached the area that bustled with people and activity. The streets were filled with an abundance of life. She walked pass the crowds of vendors and green grocers, with swarms of consumers and tourists lining up. The alluring sight of the freshly baked pastries and its display of traditional candies were shown through the smooth, clear glass window of a bakery. Then there was the smell of the savory, succulent, and smokiness of fresh roasted duck in a packed restaurant. It was a noisy and colorful affair; it attracted the evening crowd that came by late for the food stands. Following a group of tourists towards the train station, it was best to go while there were still crowds of tourists. It was not safe to ride through the narrows when it was too dark.

* * *

Everyone stood and waited. Rene did not notice a pair of eyes watching her. "Hey, isn't that her?" An unknown person asked and pointed.

"Uhm, I know you like'em big and all, but…damn, that one's pregnant."

Slapping his friend across the head, he replied. "What? No, isn't she the one boss said was digging her nose where it doesn't belong?"

"Shit." As they both quickly followed the rest of the crowd to wait for the train.

* * *

The train arrived and the crowd walked in. After everyone gathered in, the train started to move. A little while later, a loud clinking sound could be heard from near the front. As Rene sat in her seat, an announcement came from the speakers, apologizing for a minor malfunction from the rail. The train came to a stop at the station that bordered between the Narrows and Midtown. _Why here? It was only one more stop until Midtown_. Rene shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading!

- Sorry, if the pace is going slow.

- I wasn't sure about this chapter though.

- I posted up both chapters, since I was distracted, I was trying to correct some of the errors in the other chapters.


	6. Chapter Six

A/N: I posted up chapter five and six.

- Listen to Chun Qiu(Spring and Autum) - Murder Room, around 0:00 - 1:10 while reading this chapter. I thought it kind of fitted around the start of the second paragraph.

* * *

Chapter Six

Henry went through the shelves once more to make sure everything was in place after giving Mr. Reese a tour and while he waited for Amber to finish up. The part timer had already clocked out an hour early, explaining that she had a test to study for. He would have clocked out about an hour ago, but received a call from Amber saying that the systems crashed again, and that she will need some more time to figure out the problem again. Leaning against his desk, he tried to relax. He felt a bit relieved and nervous, after decoding the letter. _At least it appears that Rene is ok, hopefully she and her baby are unharmed. But it doesn't say where she is at or anything else useful. _He was not sure if the characters that were used as the inverse numbers were a hint to where Rene may have been hiding at. The only place those characters are used nowadays, are for displaying prices at Chinese markets. _It's possible she could have been in Chinatown the whole time. _Henry imagined if he and Amber ever see her, Amber will be delivering a long, tedious lecture.

* * *

While the monorail came to a halt at the station, a few people got off and some got on. Rene sat near the door and nervously tried to pay attention to her surroundings. A group of teenagers sat across from her, a small family sat near the side, and a few others were scattered around. When the monorail started moving again, from her peripheral vision she noticed one of the passengers was taking quick glances at her. After some time passed, she decided to move towards the other end of the car. She sat at another empty seat near a door; sitting across from her was an elderly couple. The other passenger that she tried to get a good distance from moved from his previous seat had moved down a couple seats from her. While another two of the passengers had changed seats as well. A feeling of panic started to grow, she decided it was best to bolt once the train stops, and the door opens.

When the train slowed down to a halt, Rene quickly moved through crowd of people trying to come through. Three of the passengers got up after she stepped out. She gauged them as aggressive and cannot be reasoned with. They started to move rapidly towards her. Her senses of panic begin to swell even more.

"Out of my way!" She cried as she tried to shove herself pass people. "Move!"

"Rude!" A middle age man shouted, when Rene knocked down his groceries to the ground. She ran into a lady who was chatting on her phone. "Hey, watch it!" The lady shouted.

Rene stepped down the rickety stairs; she clutched her bag closely to her side, and decided to try to find somewhere to hide. She glanced over her should to see them gaining on her fast. Taking a right and ran a few steps before going in between two buildings trying to find cover. The only cover was a lack of light. She had to grope along the walls in darkness. Hearing their footsteps, she started to sprint as quickly as her body was able to. She hoped she would not be leading herself into a blind alley. She ran passed graffiti plastered walls, closed windows, and many of the buildings were vacant. Most of the buildings were locked or shut in; Rene had hoped some of them would be unblocked.

Pausing behind a dumpster, she held her breath; she only heard one pair of heavy footsteps. _Did they split up?_ Rene wondered. She was tensed and hesitated for a few seconds before she was ready to take off again; she quickly adjusted her sleeve in one hand. She thought she heard the sounds of broken glass that came from behind her. A heavy hand grasped her shoulder roughly and pulled her back. As she was turned around she was unprepared for a heavy backhanded fist smacked across the face. The world slightly spun as she instinctively placed one of her arms in front of her middle protectively. As she started to fall onto some crates, in her other arm on her wrist was a hidden little knickknack made from various materials of electrical duct tape, cheap disposable camera parts, and wires. She shot out her hand blindly towards the attacker. Hoping to land anywhere, it connected near the knee, a little spark went through the thug, and he collapsed to the ground. She hoped the amount of volts was not fatal. Rene gave him a swift kick to the groin for good measure.

"Serves you right." Rene grunted as she felt pain coursing through her jaw and neck. She tasted blood and realized she had a split lip and her teeth had cut into her cheek. Ripping off the makeshift weapon and dropping it to the ground, it was now useless. Leaning on the dumpster to steady herself before she took off, as she stood up, she suddenly heard a crack. The brick wall next to her had exploded. Throwing her hands up for cover, she felt pain form the fragments of brick as it tore a small gash near the side of her lower jaw. A small fragment left a small one on the side of her forehead above her eye, she tried to put pressure on it to lessen the flow or else it would cloud her vision. She ran as fast as her legs could carry her, she needed to find somewhere to hide behind. Another crack was heard and she became aware of a burning pain in her arm and let out a yelp of pain. Realizing a bullet had barely missed and had grazed her. She tried to keep the tears from streaking across her face; she clutched her arm in a useless attempt to stop the bleeding.

_Take cover, take cover! As long as they can't see me, they won't be able to hit me. _Taking cover behind some barrels and crates, she stopped to catch her breath, her heart pounding while she tried to think of another way to evade her pursuers. She tried to concentrate by stepping one foot in front of the other. She decided to try to find another hiding spot.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw movement near the railings. _Another one? There are more than three of them!?_ She began to feel even more panicked. She quickly hid underneath a stairway. Her eyes widen as she heard the heavy footsteps come closer and became slower. She heard a scuffle. Holding her breath, she contemplated whether to just run again or stay hidden, hoping they won't come in her direction. _Please don't let them find me; please don't let them find me._ Rene felt as if she was on the verge of hyperventilating. It was difficult to stay calm and think rationally. Closing her eyes, she bit down on her nails to try to calm herself down.

A painful howl ripped through the air and a thud could be heard. The sound of something or someone being hurled against the ground could be heard. Suddenly one of the pursuers landed face first on top of the stairs above her. Rene almost let out a panicked gasp and she decided to make a run for it. She quickly poked her head out from behind the greased filled barrels to scan the area. Stepping out as quietly as she could, she bolted. As she turned, she nearly collided against a dark figure.

Rene caught her breath and her eyes widened. She franticly threw one of her hands into a fist against the unknown being in front of her. As her fist connected against the unknown being's chest, it did not even fazed him, and pain shot through her wrist to her elbow. "Ouch!" crying in pain, Rene cradled her fist. It felt as if she tried to punch a wall.

Backing up she recognized the dark figure standing calmly in front of her from all of those newspaper articles. Staring closely, she noticed that he was more fearsome up close.

_Batman!?  
_

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading!

- Hopefully, the pace will pick up.


	7. Chapter Seven

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in Batman, only the OC's

* * *

Chapter Seven

The exhilaration was addicting. It has been a few months after donning the batsuit and the excitement from running over the rooftops could still be felt. Silently scaling the tall buildings, he saw at least three men chasing a lone individual into the alley, gun shots could be heard through the air. Stopping, perched on top of a stairwell, Batman looked down, and could see a woman being chased deeper into the alley below by two of the men. Listening closely with a directional eavesdropping device placed under the right ear of his cowl, he could hear bits of the conversation passed between the men.

"Shit! How hard is it to knock off one chick? The boss is going to be pissed!" One of the men shouted.

_Isn't that interesting? A hit? Possibly a mob boss._

_It's the chase. Pursue the prey. The hunter becomes the hunted._

Batman jumped down and landed in a crouch. He ran through the narrow alley and came across one the men already unconscious. He continued further down and then spotting the one with the gun. Batman crouched down and slowly crept towards his target while he was distracted scanning the area.

After a moment he sprang forward and grabbed the unsuspecting gunman by the wrist. He then twisted the gunman's wrist until he dropped the gun, smashed his elbow across the gunman's face, and Batman rotated his body, throwing him to the ground. The man let out a painful cry. Grabbing the fallen man by the shirt collar, Batman growled, "Who are you working for?"

"S-Salvatore M-Maroni" he replied as blood trickled down his face. Batman then smashed a fist to his face to make sure he stayed down.

Batman ran farther down as he turned a corner; the sharp end of a glass bottle was swung at his face. Quickly ducking, throwing a forward punch to the attacker's abdomen, following an elbow strike upwards towards the jaw. It was sure to cause the attacker's teeth to rattle. Batman then attacked with a side thrust kick with enough force for it to hurl the man towards a stairway. He saw that the man landed face first. It did not escape his attention that he heard a gasp from under the stairway.

Once again he scaled up the buildings and dropped down into a crouch, his form hidden in the darkness. He could hear the woman's breath quicken and her scurrying around. He made certain that he would cut off her exit.

While he lurked in the shadows, he noticed her scanning the area and she nearly rammed straight into him. Her bloodied face rapt, she gazed upwards with her eyes widening in surprise; she then tried to throw a punch at him which backfired on her. The shaken woman pulled back her hand in pain and started to back away from him. He could tell by the way she started to shift slightly to the left; she was ready to take off. His arm shot up to block her from running. _How is she involved?_

* * *

Still staring at a loss of words, Rene was quite flabbergasted when she realized who appeared in front of her. _He looks bigger and more intimidating in person. If he's here, then there must be more danger lurking around the area. I need to get away from here. _She quickly noted. Quickly scanning the area for a possible opening, she prepared herself to take off. However, Batman quickly closed the distance, shot out an arm, and backed her into a corner. Clutching her bag and stomach, she could feel herself start to shake from the frustration and exhaustion.

"Why are they after you?" Batman asked in a low, hoarse, gruff voice.

Swallowing, it took a few seconds for her to gather her thoughts. "I don't know…t-to rob me? It's not that unusual in Gotham City," she answered while averting her eyes.

"They work for Salvatore Maroni. Why would he send them to kill you?"

"I-I don't know what you're talking about."

"Did you owe a money debt?" Batman kept pressing.

She simply stared, confused at the strange question. "I may be an unemployed, job seeking engineer, but I would never think to beg for money from criminals," Rene replied sharply before turning away.

"Or were you impregnated by him or by someone in that mob and wanted compensation?" he continued egging her on.

Her head turned and snapped up at him with clear fury in her eyes. She stared in disbelief at the sheer gall of the question. "You have got to be kidding me," speaking more to herself. She looked back up at Batman. "No, it's not. I am not that kind of person," She sneered

Rene paused to take a deep breath, tried to calm down, and speak civilly. "But thank you for helping me," she said as she tried to push pass him; he did not budge.

"The Gotham City Police Department is two blocks from here." He pointed in a direction and his hard gaze continued watching her face.

Hearing Batman directing her to go to the police department, she practically spluttered at the notion. "Them…there?! Why would I go there? They're on the mob payroll!" She seethed.

"I know. Not everyone. Ask for a Lieutenant James Gordon. He'll help you," he instructed as he stepped aside.

Her brows furrowed. _Gordon? That name sounds familiar._ She thought, walking pass toward the street.

"You can trust him. He's one of the few good cops around."

"What if there are more of them out there or at the station? They're going to try to ki…" Her voice started cracking at the risk of walking towards hostile grounds.

"They won't."

Rene wanted to say more but, when she turned around Batman already disappeared. She looked up in time to see the dark shape dart across the buildings. She then wobbled along the street, feeling that Batman was most likely watching from the rooftops. When she finally reached the station without encountering anyone, she was exhausted, what once had been her waist; her pregnant belly hung with the weight that felt like a few sacks of potatoes.

The blood from her injuries began to congeal; her face was smeared with blood. More of the life sustaining liquid had dribbled down her throat from her face and had dried and stained the collar of her shirt and coat. Her sleeve was drenched as the red fluid slid down her arm to her fingertips. Wobbling as quickly as her swollen ankles can carry her, she made it to the front desk where the woman was startled at Rene's disheveled, injured appearance.

The woman stood up and walked around the desk towards Rene. "What happened? You need to see a doctor right aw-." Her voice filled with concern. She would have said more but she was interrupted.

"No," Rene forcefully spoke over the woman. Grabbing her wrist, while leaving her red stained handprint on the woman. "I need to see Lieutenant James Gordon."

The woman nodded and started to dial on the phone. "Lieutenant…"

* * *

Lieutenant Gordon walked up a flight of stairs and opened the door to his office. Slamming the door shut behind him, he slumped into his chair. Turning on the small lamp on his desk, he pulled a stack of reports from the corner of his desk. He began to write out a report before he called it a night. Though he wondered why he even bother to, he was pretty sure not even half of them will be filed.

"You're going to have a visitor." The familiar horse growl spoke from the dark area in the room, causing him to startle.

Gordon turned around with a puzzled look on his face. "Excuse me?"

"A woman injured, bleeding, around five foot four or five foot five, pregnant," Batman continued as he detached himself from the shadows. "There were three thugs set on her."

Before Gordon could ask, the phone rang. Picking up the phone and answering it, the voice on the other end informed him that a woman was asking to see him specifically. "I'll be right down." Hanging up, Gordon turned around to ask Batman what was going on. "Wh-" he started to ask, until he saw that Batman was no longer there. _I sometimes forget he does that_. He stared at the opened window for a few seconds before leaving to greet the unknown visitor.

* * *

Walking down the corridors and towards the front desk, Gordon wondered who was it that needed to see him. As he rounded the corner his eyes widen in astonishment as he took in the appearance of the injured woman in front of him. Before he could open his mouth to speak, Rene spoke first. "Could we speak in private?" She asked quietly.

"Of course, but you need to get medical attention first and I insist," he replied firmly before she could protest.

* * *

She was led to a room resembling a small hospital room. It had bars over the window. She kept her eyes on the doctor, glaring at her with suspicion the whole time. The doctor who came in attended to the injuries on her forehead and jaw, which were cleaned and bandaged. After the blood was cleaned it made the large dark blue-purple bruise that marred the side of her face become more visible. She then cleaned the wound on Rene's arm and stitched it up. Afterwards, the doctor performed an obstetric ultrasonography on Rene.

"Your baby will be fine, even though you are a bit undernourished. And congratulations you're having a baby boy," the doctor said, trying to make casual conversation.

Rene simply nodded. "Quite the night you're having, huh? I'm sure you gave the front desk quite the shock when you came in," the doctor continued talking.

"Yeah, it's not often you have your head nearly shot off," she mumbled, too tired to want to think about what happened, and started to doze off.

"Well, I guess I'll let you rest now." The doctor said, got up, and left.

After the doctor left, Rene's eyes fluttered opened and she clutched her bag close to her. She did not want to fall asleep, in case it was the last thing she did. Sitting up and turning her head towards the door, she heard chatter. There were people talking outside the room.

Sitting there she went back to thinking about what had happened and she realized how much she wanted to laugh a little at how the past events were absurdly unfair and harsh. No longer sure how she should feel or react, she forced out a small laugh. _What was I thinking? What should I do? I listened to a man dressed as a bat. Going to the last place we should be at. _The humorless laugh soon changed into silent sobs. She stroked her stomach wondering what will happen next. _Here we are, sitting like ducks._ Her thoughts continued on to whether or not if she would be able to handle the outcomes of placing her trust with them.

The doorknob turned, Rene quickly wiped her face. Gordon walked in closing the door and pulling a chair next to the bed. "I remember you now. You were at the hospital that day." Rene said.

"Your friend…Tall, dark, and scary… said to trust you," she said, still not comfortable to talk about it with a cop. "You're not going to make me stay here right?" She asked instead.

Gordon just smiled slightly, unsure what to say. "No, I think it's better to take you someplace else."

"Where? Who is taking me? Some of your trustworthy upholders of the law? Maybe even Officer Baker?" Rene asked, spitting out the name and shaking her head. She did not forget that face. "There's no need for that, I have someplace to go. I have friends here in this city… I'll stay with my friends." _Maybe not. Henry and Amber have twin one year olds, Henry's aging parents, and Amber's younger college aged brother all living in their two story townhouse, and I would be intruding. _She thought to herself.

He noticed the aggravation in her voice as she mentioned Baker's name. "Mrs. Qiao, you need to tell me everything," Gordon asked straight to the point. "What did your husband do or find? Was there anything to do with mob ties?"

One of her hands gripped the blanket until her knuckles turned white. "Let's just say there was something to be found there, that he thought was odd, and was worth scrutinizing," she replied stiffly. _Records of the mob's financial statements, shell companies, operations, list of their clients._

"Then please explain it to me or show me what you have," he kept pressing and gesturing at the bag still clenched in her hand.

She was silent for a moment, trying to gather her thoughts. "No, these are my only life insurance until I know we both will be safe."

"I believe this can be made into a case."

"What's the point? The lawyers and… I'm sure whoever the authority figures are...are all bought and paid for," she said in frustration, remembering the last time it happened, proved to dishearten her.

"Not all of them. I know one, Rachel Dawes, you can trust her."

"I'll probably get mowed down by a speeding car along the way…" Rene uttered a 'heh', more to herself and at how silly the idea was, even though it was not funny. "I don't want to talk about it anymore," she replied, sliding herself back into the bed. She turned her head away to face the prison barred window.

"We want to help you, but we won't be able to do much if you cannot trust us. We can give you protection while we find and gather enough evidence to make a legal case. Once we gather enough, we can obtain warrants for some arrests or search warrants." Gordon sighed.

"Protection? Who's going to guarantee that? You and the masked vigilante?" Turning her head and looked with a glassy stare. "Why should you even bother?"

"If it comes down to it….You were attacked and have some emotional trauma." He said and stared in earnest. "Let us help you."

"Please, I'm really tired," she said softly, finally turning her head away.

Removing his glasses and wiping them with his tie, Gordon sighed again. "Alright, if you need anything Officer Merkel and Detective Ramirez are nearby."

* * *

A/N: Thanks again for reading!

- Was there enough Batman and Gordon in this chapter?

-I hope Batman and Gordon are in character, so I would appreciate it if you wonderful readers would leave feed back if they are or not. 8D


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